Business group backs push for skills training for youth

MANILA, Philippines — A business-led education advocacy group expressed support for the administration’s push for providing learners with the proper skills training to enter the workforce.

In a statement,Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said it is optimistic that the government would double down on equipping the youth with the proper skills to become productive members of society.

It cited President Marcos’ remarks during the New York Stock Exchange Economic Forum, where he recognized that the Philippines’ best asset is its workforce.

Marcos also stressed that his administration is focused on improving the country’s education system and investing in the youth by giving them the proper training.

“We support the administration’s push to provide learners with the right skills training needed to enter the workforce. With the changing economic landscape, it is imperative that the country’s workforce are not only educated but also skilled and trained for the changing economy,” PBEd executive director Lovelaine Basillote said.

PBEd has been at the forefront in pushing for broader private-sector participation in the education and training of young workers.

The advocacy group shared that its workforce development programs engage industry, academe, government and other education and employment stakeholders to improve human capital development in the country, especially those who have limited opportunities for upskilling and gainful employment.

PBEd’s flagship workforce development program is YouthWorks PH (YWPH), a private-sector driven youth employability project implemented with the United States Agency for International Development.

Launched in 2018, YWPH provides the youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) with life skills training, technical-vocational training, and mentoring. The program’s private sector partners provide on-the-job training which includes a training stipend so that the youth can earn while they learn.

The project has so far engaged over 70 partners providing more than 13,000 training and employment opportunities in high-value sectors such as construction, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, logistics and information technology.

It said that over 3,500 youth NEET have been placed in the YWPH program.

Moreover, the company shared that 62 percent of surveyed program graduates were able to find new employment and 88 percent of trainees are no longer considered NEET.

“The government must work closely with the private sector in order to come up with scalable policies and programs geared toward building a generation of Filipinos with higher learning outcomes, and accelerating economic growth,” Basillote said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the youth unemployment rate, or those between 15 to 24 years old,were at 11.9 percent, lower than the reported rates of 15.9 percent in July 2021 and 12.3 percent in April this year.